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Coffeez for Closers with Joe Shalaby

Wahoo's Founder on AI, Failure, and 38 Years of Grind | Coffeez Ep. 307

7/10/20261 hr 15 min

Wahoo's Fish Taco founder Wing Lam sits down with Joe after 38 years in the game. Buying Thrifty Ice Cream, why AI still can't replace hospitality, the trades comeback, launching brands on social media, referrals over everything, the mistakes that cost him a fortune, and why networking is the biggest opportunity most people miss.

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Clips

AI Costs More Than People
Monster Buys Thrifty’s Ice Cream
Oldest Paddler's 30-Mile Challenge
Generation Without Soft Skills
Eliminate To Find Passion
Get Your Shit Together

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 10:00

    One, two.

  2. Meredith· Host0:00

    [upbeat music] Hi, how are you?

  3. Wing Lam· Guest0:14

    Good, good.

  4. Meredith· Host0:15

    Good. I'm Meredith. Welcome to Coffee With Joe Shalhoub.

  5. Wing Lam· Guest0:18

    So you're getting my coffee.

  6. Meredith· Host0:20

    I'm your coffee girl.

  7. Wing Lam· Guest0:21

    I love it.

  8. Meredith· Host0:21

    Yeah.

  9. Wing Lam· Guest0:21

    Well, I like a little almond latte, iced.

  10. Meredith· Host0:24

    Iced?

  11. Wing Lam· Guest0:24

    Yes. Perfect.

  12. Meredith· Host0:25

    Perfect.

  13. Wing Lam· Guest0:25

    This is the best place. You get coffee.

  14. Meredith· Host0:28

    We also get chocolate.

  15. Wing Lam· Guest0:29

    Oh, my... And- Everyone gets a chocolate. Cheers.

  16. Meredith· Host0:32

    Cheers. Here, I want to- Yes.

  17. Wing Lam· Guest0:33

    Thank you.

  18. Meredith· Host0:34

    So Wing, I have a question.

  19. Wing Lam· Guest0:35

    Yes.

  20. Meredith· Host0:36

    How many times have people asked you, why did you open a taco place instead of a wing place?

  21. Wing Lam· Guest0:40

    [laughs] You know, that's a great question. It's just that I like tacos way more than I like wings.

  22. Meredith· Host0:45

    [laughs] I agree.

  23. Wing Lam· Guest0:46

    Well, good to have you. Thank you.

  24. Meredith· Host0:47

    Awesome. I'll show you to Joe.

  25. Joseph Shalaby· Host0:48

    All right.

  26. Wing Lam· Guest0:49

    Hey.

  27. Joseph Shalaby· Host0:51

    My brother Wing.

  28. Wing Lam· Guest0:55

    Hey, what's up?

  29. Joseph Shalaby· Host0:55

    Welcome back.

  30. Wing Lam· Guest0:56

    Good to see you. I love it, I love it. I got my coffee right here.

  31. Joseph Shalaby· Host0:58

    Well, coffee.

  32. Wing Lam· Guest0:58

    This is great.

  33. Joseph Shalaby· Host0:58

    All right.

  34. Wing Lam· Guest0:59

    All right.

  35. Joseph Shalaby· Host1:00

    All right. Perfect. Boom.

  36. Wing Lam· Guest1:01

    Cheers, my friend.

  37. Joseph Shalaby· Host1:02

    Cheers. It's been a couple years since we've had you on the show. Has any cha- has anything changed with your morning routine since I asked you last?

  38. Wing Lam· Guest1:11

    Surfing more, swimming more- Okay ... 'cause I'm getting ready for a big event this year.

  39. Joseph Shalaby· Host1:15

    What are you swimming for?

  40. Wing Lam· Guest1:16

    Well, I gotta get in shape for- You're already in shape ... I, I'm in pretty good shape, but you gotta be in... Swimming shape is different, right?

  41. Joseph Shalaby· Host1:23

    Mm-hmm.

  42. Wing Lam· Guest1:23

    Surfing, yes, but there is an annual event that happens every September. It's the Ben

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